Global Entry enrollment event at TPA offers thousands of interview slots
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers will be available to meet with conditionally approved applicants in Tampa starting March 18.
Travelers awaiting an interview with a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to complete their enrollment for the Global Entry program will have a chance to schedule a slot at a special five-day event at Tampa International Airport this month.
CBP is holding a Global Entry enrollment event from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday, March 18, through Friday, March 22, in TPA’s Main Terminal Event Space, on Level 3 between the shuttles for Airsides E and F.
Global Entry applicants who are conditionally approved may schedule the interview portion of the process to complete their enrollment in the program. Applicants may now select “Tampa International Event Space” as their interview location.
Global Entry is one of the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler programs, which provide modified screening and expedited clearance for approved members.
Those travelers may skip Customs lines when returning to the U.S. from abroad, using automated kiosks at eligible airports to complete their arrival procedure. Approved Global Entry travelers also are enrolled in the Transportation Security Administration’s PreCheck program. Enrollment in Global Entry must be renewed after five years.
Applicants must first undergo a rigorous background check, then must complete an in-person interview. Scheduling these interviews can often take weeks or even months, as the number of enrollment center locations offering interview times is limited.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants must have received conditionally approved status following their background check before being able to schedule their interviews. You may begin the Global Entry enrollment process online here.
After the application is complete and travelers have paid the $100 fee, they will receive an email telling them they are conditionally approved and be directed to make an appointment with a Global Entry office. Those who have already scheduled a future interview date may reschedule the interview to the five-day event if they prefer to speed up the process.
Four CBP officers will be in place to conduct interviews during the enrollment event, with the officers working to accommodate four interviews every 10 minutes. That means more than 1,900 potential interview slots are available during the five-day TPA event.
TPA’s Global Entry Enrollment Center on the Red Side Baggage Claim on Level 1 will remain open during the event for interviews that are already scheduled there.
Conditionally approved Global Entry applicants who miss this opportunity may still take advantage of CBP’s Enrollment on Arrival interview process. Applicants may complete their required interviews upon their return from international travel at participating airports.
If you have questions about the enrollment event, please email CBP at TampaTTPinformation@cbp.dhs.gov and an officer will get back to you.
[Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection]